Rain Water · Lunch · Yin Deficiency
Spinach & pork dumplings in clear broth
Homemade spinach and pork dumplings in a light, clear broth — not greasy, and straight from the freezer a 10-minute lunch at home.
- 45 min
- Serves 2
- Boil
- Medium
NeutralNourishes yin & moistensNourishes blood, eases bowels
Why it suits you: Yin Deficiency brings a dry mouth, constipation and warm palms and soles, and even in damp Rain Water the body can still be short of yin. Boiled spinach and pork dumplings in a light broth nourish and moisten without heating — no frying, nothing to add damp.
Method
Prep 35 min · Cook 10 min- 1Wash the spinach and set aside a small handful of leaves. Blanch the rest for 30 seconds, refresh in cold water, squeeze dry and chop finely.
- 2Mix the pork with the egg, ginger, soy sauce, sesame oil and salt, stirring in one direction until sticky, then fold in the chopped spinach.
- 3Put 1 tsp of filling on each wrapper, wet the edge with a little water, fold in half and pinch to seal.
- 4Drop the dumplings into plenty of boiling water. When it returns to the boil, add half a bowl of cold water; repeat twice (6–7 minutes in all) until they float and the wrappers turn translucent.
- 5Bring the stock to the boil, add the reserved spinach leaves and ladle over the dumplings.
Cautions
- Spinach is high in oxalate. If you have kidney stones or gout, always blanch it first and keep portions modest.
Chef's tips
- Make a double batch: freeze the dumplings flat on a tray, then bag them. Cook from frozen in boiling water for 8–9 minutes.
The TCM view
Spinach is sweet and cool; it nourishes blood, moistens dryness and keeps the bowels moving. Pork is sweet, salty and neutral and nourishes yin; egg is sweet and neutral. Boiling and serving in a clear broth keeps it moist but not greasy — gently cooling and nourishing without breeding damp.
